I Would Have
by WisteriaReads
Summary: Life is sometimes filled with regrets and broken dreams. Life sometimes is cruel and unfair, threatening to take those that you love at any moments notice. Will Shinichi say those unspoken words to the one whom he cherishes the most? These are the events after which Ran is hospitalised.
1. Chapter 1-Regrets

**Hello! This is my first piece of writing here on Fanfiction, so please be nice. Constructive criticism is welcome.**

 **Hope you enjoy it!**

 **PS: If you can, try listening to "Say Something" by Great big world, when it reaches its climax (You'll know when the climax is. There is a slight key change and there's violins accompanying the piano). I felt it really helped with the mood. Sorry for the rambling...**

 **WisteriaReads**

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 **I Would Have….**

I would have sent you post cards, telling you of where I am, and how I wished you were there with me. But instead, I was always beside you, not even in a different country as you thought I was, making you wait for me with a hopeful yet heavy heart.

I would have told you why I was staying away from you, of how much it hurt me to see you cry after every phone call, of how helpless I felt knowing that there was nothing I could do for you. But that would have endangered the people that I love, especially you.

I would have held your hand as the roller coaster went down, and tried to comfort you in those last few seconds before the plummet. But my pride got in the way, too arrogant and too slow to realise that that would be the last time everything would be normal again, thinking that I had all the time in the world when in reality, it would be ripped away from me, just like that.

I would have stayed with you on that fateful day, insisting to walk you back like the gentleman I should have been. But I was too careless and reckless, my negligence that led to my two year disappearance and my two years "without you".

I would have properly confessed to you, to tell you how much I need you or how I have held affections for you since the day we first met, of how that smile lit the world in a cascade of new and exhilarating colours. But you took the bullet intended for me, something for which I can never forgive myself nor something which I can never repay back to you, taking that chance along with it.

So here I am, standing by your hospital bed; your heart monitor fluctuating to the rhythm of your heart; your breath coming in steady as oxygen is forcibly pumped through your body with the oxygen mask; your body left limp as a doll as you are left in a coma and I am left with words that I may never get to say to you and dreams that I may never get to share with you.

So I would send you postcards, alerting you of where I am and how I wish you were there with me. But it reminds me too much of the heartache and the possibility of leaving you behind.

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End

PS: If need be, I can do a second part to this if people feel that the ending should be elaborated further.


	2. Chapter 2-Struggling With Hope

**Chapter 2- Struggling with Hope**

 **Hello! This is the second chapter to "I Would Have". Please note that although I did do some research as to the causes of a coma, I am no doctor. I may have exaggerated some things.**

 **Hope you enjoy it!**

 **WisteriaReads**

It had been four weeks since the day the Black Organisation had been taken down. Four weeks since Ran had been shot. Shinichi watched from the hospital seat as sakura petals floated down, the sunlight being bent and refracted into a multitude of colours. Normally, he would find this soothing or somewhat intriguing, but at the moment, he didn't care. All his concerns and cares were solely focused on the person that lay on the bed. Despite his protests, his parents had insisted with soft smiles that he should attend school to make up for the lost years as Conan. However, he hadn't missed out on much, because when he had disappeared, he had often snuck peeks at Ran's neat annotations or the extensive set of notes which Ran had meticulously complied during his leave. _Ran…._ He thought with a pang in his heart. As school as school was done, he always rushed back to the hospital and resumed his seat by her bed, in the hope that she would wake up, taking her hand in his. He often began talking to her, as if she might hear him in the deep abyss of sleep that she was in. He often told her about his days as Conan, how school went and chuckle softly at these memories. Since it was now the Easter break, he had resolved to dedicate the rest of his time in which he wasn't studying to be by her side.

He remembered the horrific day in which Ran had been shot. He gripped the arm rest of the chair in an attempt to try to alieve some of the pain that came with the memories, but in vain. He remembered how the medics had rushed in and proclaimed that the head trauma she had suffered when she hit the ground had caused her to not only go into shock but also caused a swelling in her brain, causing anoxia to some extent. _Shut up… Shut up… I don't need to be reminded._ He cried out mentally, his knuckles turning white as his head bowed in the process. He remembered how pale she looked and how the light dimmed from her eyes as she entered the coma, becoming unable to respond to any stimuli. _Dammit! Dammit!_

He quickly got up and treaded slowly towards her bed, looking down at her with unhidden tenderness. _It's not as if she's dead…. She's fine…._ He chided himself mentally as he brushed a few stray strands from her pale ivory face, smiling gently as he cupped one side of her face in his hand.

"Ughhh… If I stare at this any longer, I may just die from all this mushiness…" came a familiar voice from the doorway. Shinichi stood up as he sighed tiredly, already knowing who would be waiting at the door. He watched as the detective of the West strode into a room, grinning like the blatantly oblivious idiot he sometimes was.

"Says you…" he muttered, fishing out his voice changer bowtie from his pocket. He cleared his throat before semi-yelling "whatcha doin to my Kazuha?!" into it. The Tokyolite watched with a slight mirth as he watched his Western counterpart blush profusely, stuttering out a response along the lines of "Ahou! I never said that… Don't put words in my mouth!" However, his mirth soon disappeared as he looked back at Ran. Heiji seemed to notice this and his face turned serious.

"It's fine, Kudo. It's not as if she's dead." He said, realising too late that that wasn't a great thing to say. Shinichi glared at him and Heiji blanched slightly, putting his hands up as if to appease the angered detective.

"Fine… but she's still in a coma and there is nothing I can do to help her! How would you feel if our places were switched? Knowing that Kazuha was in a coma which she may or may not wake up from? How would you feel if you had shrunk, separating you and Kazuha for two years and just when you think everything is going to be okay, the person who you love the most is suddenly taken away?" he asked, his voice becoming increasingly loud, jabbing the other detective on the chest. He saw his best friend's eyes darken, knowing he struck a sensitive chord. He couldn't stop himself, releasing all his suppressed emotions all at once. All of his anger, hate, fear, worry and loneliness cascaded out, like how the ash cloud continues to spread out from the volcano even after the eruption has finished. He dropped his arms to his side, his hands still balled into fists as he took in deep breaths to try and calm himself down.

"Okay. I get it. That was rude of me, I'm sorry." The Osakan hesitantly said, an encouraging smile across his face. "I think that's why girls keep diaries. To just rant and rant to their hearts' desire. You should do the same." He replied lightly, his eyes twinkling in amusement. Shinichi knew he was trying to keep the subject light and he let himself smile briefly.

"Sorry about that… Pent up emotions…. Thanks Hattori." He mumbled, raking his hair with one hand. He realised belatedly that the other hand was holding Ran's, his thumb making circular movements against the back of her hand. He didn't want the Osakan to think that he needed help. After all, he still had to uphold his reputation.

"Ahou. That's what friends are for, right? To support each other." He replied, patting Shinichi on the back. "She is going to be okay."

"And how do you know she'll be okay?" he asked tentatively. He saw the Osakan's eyes as they softened. Heiji put his hands behind his head and smirked.

"I don't know." He replied, earning him a deep scowl from Shinichi. "But hope is a powerful thing. Just have faith in her to find her way back." He replied, looking at Shinichi pointedly, as if to indicate the hidden message. _Back to you, that is…_

"Speaking of friends, when was the last time you slept properly? No, scrap that. When was the last time you ate? I'm starving!" he cried, rubbing his belly ruefully. Shinichi shot his best friend a deadpan stare, only for his own stomach to rumble in unison.

"That's it. Cafeteria, here we come!" Heiji announce proudly, dragging Shinichi out of the door by the wrist, despite his protests. The corridor soon resounded with the sound of chatter and laughter as the two boys marched to the hospital cafeteria. Few minutes after they left, Ran's heart monitor started peaking, rapidly increasing in rate. Had the two boys stayed a couple of minutes, they would have seen Ran's fingers twitch very slightly, as if in response to the contact she had earlier.

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End

Sorry for the exceedingly long chapter. I'll be updating another chapter soon, so lucky you!


	3. Chapter 3- Remembering

**I would have pt 3**

 **Hello! This is the third part to "I Would Have". If you haven't read the other two, I suggest you go and read it to prevent spoilers for yourself. Anyway, I haven't met anyone who has been in a coma, but I imagine that it would be a bit like this.**

 **Hope you enjoy it!**

 **WisteriaReads**

The way Ran saw it, being in a coma was exceedingly boring. Just darkness, followed by spirals of shadows and more darkness. Occasionally, memories would flash by, glimpses of what had happened, too quick to properly grasp. She caught glimpses of a dark warehouse, long silver hair, gunshots in the dark, the flash of blue and red and finally, cerulean eyes that screamed of anguish, clearly distressed. Something drew her to those eyes, those eyes plagued with worry. Just looking at them, she felt at ease and her heartbeat began to quicken, her stomach doing odd things, as if butterflies had decided to start dancing.

 _How had they even gotten there?_ She mused to herself. It wasn't as if the feeling was uncomfortable. It was comforting, if anything. She often leaned against a patch of darkness that seemed to have more substance than the others and watched the memories flick by, rather like how people would gather by the fire to listen to stories. The memories didn't quite make sense though. What had happened in that warehouse? Why was it that every time she caught a glimpse of long silver hair, she felt a spurt of anger, hate, fear but most of all: pain? Pain that seemed to rip through her but also pain of possibly losing someone? Pain that always left her doubling up, pain that left her breathless?

She roughly raked her hands through her hair, a yell of frustration escaping her lips as she sank to her knees. She had to find out how she got here in the first place. She knew that that would be the only way she could escape from this dark confinement. That, and she felt that she still had some unfinished business to take care of. Some business involving that person with the blue eyes.

She hugged her knees to her chest, gently placing her head on them as she let her mind wander in an attempt to try and remember. As if in response to her thoughts, projections of memories hurtled past, sequences of bright colours in the drab prison. She first caught sight of herself in a white outfit, her hair tied up with a black belt tied around her waist, her leg extended out in a kick. Karate? _Good…. That way, I can beat the living daylight out of that silver haired idiot._ She thought in a seething manner. She then caught sight of a small spectacled boy with the same blue eyes from those flashbacks, looking up at her with concern. _He…seems familiar._ She thought with a start, heading jerking up slightly.

"Stay here, Ran…. I don't want you to get into danger…" came a muffled voice, much deeper than the primary schooler that was being projected. Her heart leapt in recognition, her mind automatically linking the disembodied voice to the person with blue eyes. She watched as her flashback-self trailed after a boy to the warehouse, the sky already in its twilight stage. She noted that the boy's posture was clearly tense, as if he knew something bad might happen, pacing cautiously and quietly. As he entered the warehouse, she saw a broad man in black in the middle of the room, holding a gun to an auburn haired girl's head, who despite the situation, showed close to no emotions on her face. The boy held out his hand, but no sound came out. Ran sighed in frustration, pinching the bridge of her nose. That had often happened while she was in a coma. The sound would just flicker off, like a dysfunctional radio. Right when she was getting somewhere. Suddenly a flash of lightning cracked across the obsidian sky, illuminating the warehouse. A glint of silver caught her eye and she whipped up, to see a man clothed in black with long silver hair on the walkway above the boy, his sniper trained on the boy below. She felt her heart constrict, her breath becoming shallow as she felt her legs sprint towards the boy. She pushed him aside just as she felt a tear go through her upper abdomen. Just when it couldn't get any worse, she felt another tear of pain in her leg, temporarily immobilising it. In her confusion, she didn't put her arms out to cushion the fall, instead, her head falling against the concrete with a crack. More gunshots pursued and the familiar red and blue lights flashed inside the warehouse. The boy during this time had held onto her hand, evidently distraught. The flashback-self whispered a name before the darkness and silence consumed her: Shinichi…

With a start, her head jerked up, realisation settling in. Suddenly cascades of memories started pouring through, similar to how water would cascade down from a broken dam. She remembered; her friends from Osaka, her best friend Sonoko, her divorced parents, the genius that was Conan kun but most of all Shinichi. Memories of how he disappeared at Tropical Land, how he returned in that one case against Hattori kun, the play, how he supposedly lost his memories and lastly, his confession to her in London. She felt herself tear up as she let the suppressed tears fall freely.

"And how do you know she'll be okay?" asked the muffled voice of Shinichi from everywhere around her. She whipped round, trying to indicate where the voice was coming from.

"I don't know. But hope is a powerful thing. Just have faith in her to find her way back." Replied another voice, heavily accented in Kansai-ben. Suddenly, a bright light sparked in the distance, the most light that the shadowy prison had ever had. She ran towards it, knowing that that was her ticket home, arms extended as she jumped up to try and clasp it in her hand. The brightness became brighter and brighter until it engulfed her, enveloping her.

End

PS: The fourth chapter will be written soon. I'm going on holiday soon so please don't expect any updates from me in the next fortnight.


	4. Chapter 4-Concern And Affection

**I would have part 4**

 **Hello! This is the fourth part to "I Would Have". Kind of stating the obvious here, but please do read the other three before reading this one.**

 **Thank you for all of your support during this! It has given me a lot of confidence and every time I have read a comment, I makes me feel glad that I uploaded this.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoy it and that it doesn't disappoint!**

 **WisteriaReads**

As soon as the light that she saw in her prison started to ebb away into darkness, Ran thought with an increasing panic that she had died. Then light suddenly surrounded her, yet again, searing her eyes. Whereas the light earlier was warm and comforting, this light was sharp and cold.

The light pierced through her eyelids, scattering colours out like a kaleidoscope. She didn't dare open her eyes, in fear that she would instantly be blinded. The second thing she noticed was how stiff she felt.

 _Great…I've got a stiff back. What am I? An old lady?_ She mentally asked herself as she struggled to move any part of her. After much effort, she managed to wiggle her fingers and she curled her fingers into a fist. She let out a small relieved sigh before mentally scowling when she heard a constant beep.

 _When I get the feeling back in my arm, I am definitely going to punch that thing until it's a heap of wire and metal._ She thought with a satisfied smirk. All the while, she could hear the monitor increasing in rate. _Please just shut up…. My ears are ringing…._

Suddenly she heard a screech of something being pushed against a hard surface followed by scrambling and a heavy gasp. She warily opened her eyes, everything blurred to resemble blocks of colour.

"Ran?" asked a voice, hopeful yet concerned. She opened her bleary eyes and found a pair of azure eyes staring down at her, filled with palpable concern and shock. She blinked several times to sharpen her vision.

When she re-opened them, she found a boy staring down at her in plain shock and disbelief. Through her haze, she thought that the eyes staring down at her were rimmed were unshed tears. Suddenly, he hastily straightened up and began to rub his eyes briskly.

"I must have woken up too early today…"he muttered to himself, wiping his hands on his trousers. When she had a better look at his face, she noticed the dark shadows under his eyes, like ink splotches on parchment, evidence of his sleepless nights. _How long has he been neglecting his health like this?_ Ran thought with sadness.

She lamely tried to prop herself up so to see him easier, her arms shaking with the sheer effort of keeping herself up. Shinichi looked at her anxiously before stepping in and placing a warm hand on her back and the other on the nook of her elbow, gingerly supporting her up. As he did this, Ran couldn't help but notice how awfully close he was and she felt a deep blush creep up.

When Shinichi had her completely supported solely on himself, he quickly took the remote and pressed the button to incline the bed. Once it had risen to an appropriate height, he delicately lowered her onto the bed, taking the utmost care as if she were fragile china.

He sat down beside her on the bed and looked at her, his face unreadable. Ran wasn't sure what he was thinking but she could see in his eyes the maelstrom of emotions churning in him. The deep concern, the palpable shock, the clear guilt and something else… _Compassion?_ She thought slightly shocked. Shocked for the fact that the boy who always seemed to conceal his emotions behind a brick wall was finally letting his walls down, even if it was just a fraction.

Suddenly he leaned forward and embraced her. Ran felt herself tense up from the abrupt intimacy, her eyes widening. He was shaking slightly and she allowed herself to relax, heaving a deep sigh as she welcomed the embrace.

"Barou…. Do you understand how worried I was about you? Do you know how long I've been waiting for?" he asked. And despite his trembling hands, his voice was clear and firm.

"Baka….I've only been gone for a few days." She murmured back hoarsely, slowly patting his back. He let out a choked gasp and pulled away, holding her by the shoulders.

"I'm not sure if your 'few days' is the same as mine, Ran. You were in a coma not for a few days. You were in a coma for four weeks." He replied uneasily, his face completely sombre. Those words jarred her from her daze and thrust her fumbling with reality.

"Four weeks in a coma…? How… how can it be?" she stammered, clutching her head in her hands. She refused to look up, refused to admit it. She let out a nervous laugh, her mind still trying to comprehend the amount of time that she had lost.

"It's funny how time has flown by…"she muttered almost to herself. She looked up, a small smile on her face. But she found to her surprise that Shinichi's eyes had hardened, his eyes full of suppressed anger and frustration.

"Flown by?! If you hadn't gone in that warehouse, you wouldn't even have been in a coma! What part of "Stay here…..I don't want you to get into danger." did you not understand? We had the entire perimeter surrounded! It was under control!" he demanded, his hands gesturing vehemently for emphasis. Ran raised an eyebrow and calmly looked at him, waiting for him to finish him rant about health and safety. It wasn't that she didn't appreciate his concern for her wellbeing, but…

"Had I not gone in there, what would you then?" she asked composedly, cutting Shinichi off mid-sentence, who just gaped at her like a fish out of water.

"Without me, you would have died." She replied curtly. She saw Shinichi flinch back slightly as his slouched in defeat.

"I thought I lost you…." He swallowed loudly, his hands curled into fists as he looked down, his eyes shrouded in shadows and his face in a pained grimace.

"Please…who do you take me as? I can handle myself. Besides…." She started, reaching over to take his hand in an act of comfort. "I have some unfinished business with you." He lifted his head, his face warping to that of confusion. And a small spark of satisfaction ignited in Ran. It was rare that she left the detective she held so dearly in her heart completely speechless or baffled.

"London? I never replied to you, did I?" at this, Shinichi blushed profusely and began stammering an incoherent string of words. She giggled at this and looked him fully in the eye. During this time, she heard a faint click from outside, but she quickly dismissed the idea.

"Now…what did you say? "The heart of a girl whom one likes…""

""How can anyone accurately deduce that?"" Shinichi sighed. "Yes….Of course I remember."

"And do you know what I think about it?" She asked, giving an earnest smile to him. He leaned closer in anticipation, his breath held in, and his eyes wide with expectation.

"My answer is…" she started, and he leaned even further in, dying with curiosity for the answer. "I don't know" she replied, a wide grin breaking across her face, like the first spokes of sunlight that touches the sky at sunrise. He jolted back in surprise, looking clearly cheated.

"Come on, Ran! That isn't fair! You haven't finished! I can tell you still wanted to say something! Tell me!" he exclaimed. It was clear that her words had completely derailed him of all his logic and common sense, his face still blushing as his arms flailed around him in frustrated movements. She simply chuckled at his antics. Eventually he realised that she wouldn't be letting it out anytime soon so he stood up and brushed the non-existent dust from his trousers.

"Anyway…. I'm thirsty. I'm going to the cafeteria to go get some coffee. Also, you ought to call a doctor in. They would like to know of your condition, especially since you've been in a coma for so long. He started for the door before looking back and smiling at her.

"Oh…And welcome back, Ran." With that, he turned to the door and slid the door open, and stepped out. When she was aware that he was far enough, she let out a heavy but satisfied sigh. She pulled the blanket around her and smiled.

 _The idiot doesn't even know how much I love him…_ She thought with a pleasant smile gracing her lips.

Hattori was walking down the corridor, hands stuffed in his pockets. He hated hospitals with a passion: always filled with the sick and injured, the overwhelming smell of antiseptic and the awful food. But most of all, because that's where the mortuary was. It was just a reminder of a few people that he could have had the chance to save, if he only got there in time. He quickly shook his head in an attempt to clear his head.

 _Neechan's in a coma and Kudo is struggling to even sleep because of it. And here I am, sulking that I'm near a mortuary. Snap out of it! You need to support Kudo!_ He thought determinedly. He whipped out his phone from one of his pockets in order to check the emails that Kazuha constantly kept sending: her asking him to send her regards to Kudo, news of neechan's state and such. He swiftly replied to one of them and was about to pocket his phone when, as he approached Neechan's room, he heard two voices. One distinctly male and one distinctly female. Overwhelmed with curiosity, he slid the door open a crack and gaped at the scene in front of him. On the bed, awake as ever, was Neechan. He was about to barge in and ask how she was when he noticed that Kudo was in the room. _No surprise there…_ Heiji thought with a smirk. He was about to close the door to give the two some privacy when he overheard their conversation.

"London? I never replied to you, did I?" she asked, smiling slightly. At this Kudo turned as red as a beetroot and stammered. Now, despite being stupid with love himself, he knew what was about to happen: a confession. He quickly tapped his phone on and set the video camera setting on. He crouched by the door and waited for the confession to happen, chuckling slightly.

He videoed his best friend leaning in, curious for the answer and videoed his outraged reaction when Neechan refused to tell Kudo her feelings. Heiji suddenly felt the sudden urge to break down with laughter and roll on the floor. After all, his reaction was pure gold and the fact that he saw his best friend beg for an answer was too much!

"I'm going to the cafeteria to go get some coffee…"Kudo stated, starting for the door. Hattori jumped up, aware he might get caught. He frantically looked left and right before dashing off to the cafeteria.

Once seated, he quickly tapped his phone and plugged in some earphones. He promptly burst into a torrent of laughter, sliding his finger across the screen to the same exact spot. Seeing Kudo's outraged and cheated reaction was priceless!

 _This is cinematic gold! Payback for Ebisu Bridge, Kudo! I have my revenge!_ He mentally cackled, suppressing a bubbling laugh as he watched the attempt of the confession.

"What are you watching?" Kudo suddenly asked, having popped out of nowhere. Hattori startled, stood up and packed his phone back into his pocket.

"Oh nothing…" he started with a smirk "Just watching a hilarious video…"

 **End**

 **Well, that's done. I hope you've enjoyed reading this as much as I've written it.**

 **Until next story, I guess.**


	5. Epilogue- Back To Normalcy

**I Would Have Epilogue**

 **This wasn't originally my plan but it kind of took me by storm and I just had to write it down.**

 **WisteriaReads**

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"You're lucky, Ran." Shinichi said, pushing Ran as she sat in a wheelchair. "That the doctors deemed you well enough to see the Hanami." Ran shrugged, dusting her yukata of the petals that had accumulated on her lap. She wore a lilac yukata that was scattered with pale cream flowers and a vermillion obi sash across her waist, a matching red flower perched in her hair.

"I'll say… At least you don't have to wear these clog like shoes! They're killing my feet! Tell me again why we couldn't wear our trainers?" Heiji cried, pointing at the sandals that were on his feet.

"They're called Geta, ahou. They're traditional footwear so if all the samurais could do it, you should be able to do it too." Kazuha retorted with a blank face, suddenly popping out from behind him. She was wearing a pale yellow yukata with dark blue flowers adorning the fabric as an amber obi complimented her lemon ribbon in her hair. He shot her an irritated glare and proceeded to take his shoe off, as if to chuck it in her direction.

"Mou! Please stop arguing! We're here to enjoy the sakura so don't ruin this moment with your bickering." Ran said, moving her hands in an appeasing manner. She was glad that Kazuha had decided to come down from Osaka to Tokyo to see her. It provided a good time to catch up with her and also the perfect time to see the flower front.

"You know, Hattori. If you throw that geta, you'll get charged with assault." Shinichi countered with an equally blank look. Ran whipped around in her chair and looked at him with a betrayed face.

"Not making it any better…" she cried.

"How can this geta be considered a 'deadly weapon'?" Heiji asked sceptically, an eyebrow raised.

"Who knows? Kazuha might have psychological trauma after you've attacked her with that thing." Shinichi replied, shrugging nonchalantly.

"How can anyone have trauma over the geta?" Heiji scoffed disbelievingly.

"She might have nightmares about flying sandals…." Ran commented dryly, rolling her eyes to the sky. Shinichi shot her a grin and she returned with an endearing smile when she suddenly burst into a heavy chesty cough. Shinichi immediately paled and scrambled for the water bottle in the rear of the wheelchair as well as her medication. He briskly handed it to her and she nodded gratefully before she downed the two pills and the water.

"Sheesh… Don't scare me like that! When the doctors' said that your immune system was going to be down for a bit, I didn't think it was going to be like this." Shinichi said, raking a hand through his hair.

"You can pray for good health at the temple since we're here." Kazuha stated, tilting her head in the direction of the temple. Before entering the temple, they washed their hands in the water troughs with the ladles.

"You're going to have to get up, Ran." Shinichi said, gently tugging her up by the crook of her arm and Ran couldn't help but reminisce that this was how he helped her up back in the hospital. She gladly allowed him to draw her up, her knees shaking slightly.

And as they waited to ring the bell, Ran found herself drifting between her thoughts, where everything else turned to white noise, and listening to her friends' conversation. She found that this was happening quite often since she woke up from her coma, and sometimes it was like she was underwater, other times it seemed like she had super hearing. Suddenly she was dragged back to conversation when she suddenly heard a couple of girls in yukatas mutter in front of her. Ran, curious, decided to listen in.

"How loud do you think we should ring the bell?" A tall girl with a red yukata asked, dubiously eyeing the bell. One girl with a pale yellow yukata shrugged, her face contorting into that of confusion.

"How the hell would I know?! Do it yourself!" The girl with the yellow yukata muttered back. Another girl leaned in, her yukata a dark blue one with a white flower pattern.

"How heavy do you think that stick is?" she asked, her face alight with curiosity.

"It's not heavy." The shortest of the girls airily replied, waving her navy blue sleeve flippantly. "See, I'll show you." She replied, striding to the cushion, where she promptly picked up the wooden rod with her rather big hands. She rang the bell and grinned back at the other girls as she walked off. The girl in the red yukata looked at the blue and white clothed one slightly dubiously as she kneeled over.

"What on earth is she talking about?! This is pretty heavy for a stick!" the red clothed girl exclaimed under her breath. She softly rang the bell, looking around once she did.

"Not loud enough…" She muttered. She then proceeded to drive the stick heavily across and before Ran could stop her, the deafening ring of the bell echoed around the shrine. She looked around her sheepishly and caught sight of various people glaring at her, Hattori and Shinichi included.

She smiled sheepishly before walking out in a similar fashion to a dog whose tail was drooped in between its legs. Ran and Kazuha then kneeled together and rung the bell, moving to the side to allow the others to get to the bell.

"… That girl was stupid, wasn't she?" Heiji remarked quietly.

"Obviously not from here." Shinichi muttered in return. Suddenly Heiji broke into a conniving grin, rubbing his hands like those stereotypical villains.

"I know that look… It's the "I have a brilliant plan" look…" Shinichi said in a deadpan way.

"Come on. My ideas are brilliant. Remember that time when I suggested that that murder was done using the fishing line that was strung through the diplomat's key chain and out through the door to create an impossible locked room?" he asked, without taking a breath.

"That was a deduction, barou. And you were wrong in the end…" Shinichi replied blankly. Heiji visibly sweat-dropped, scratching the back of his neck ruefully.

"I had to be pretty imaginative to think of such a plan. Anyway… My 'plan' was to have a wager with you." He said. Shinichi raised an incredulous eyebrow, his eyes shining with slight intrigue. As if picking up on this, Heiji continued.

"I bet that I can ring that bell loud enough without attracting any flashy attention to myself." He replied, pointing to the aforementioned item.

"That's stupid. I'll pass." Shinichi responded, his eyes losing their fascinated gleam, turning away to face the front.

"Don't be such a chicken. You just don't want your good name as the great detective of the east to be tarnished. Because _I'm_ the better detective, I am willing to try new things out." With this, Shinichi turned around, clearly unimpressed.

"Okay… Fine. As long as it gets you off my back…" Shinichi muttered back, Heiji grinning like a child during Christmas. The two of them strode over to the bell and swiftly kneeled. As the boys were locked in prayer, Ran and Kazuha shot each other a wary look, already fearing the worst.

* * *

"Well…. _That_ went well…" Hattori said tightly, laughing slightly nervously. Shinichi shot him a bland glare, his eyebrow raised.

"Well? You got us kicked out!" he exclaimed, raking a frustrated hand through his hair. Heiji grinned remorsefully, looking at the sky as if to evade Shinichi's death glare. Kazuha rolled her eyes in exasperation as Ran giggled at the two boys' interaction. It had started out alright enough, when Shinichi rung the bell, only slightly louder than a normal person. Heiji had scoffed at his friend's restrained ringing.

When it had come to his turn, he hefted the stick but as he put too much momentum behind his swing, the stick slipped out backwards from his grasp and hit a middle aged man in the stomach, who promptly doubled up in pain before he lost balance and toppled over.

"Just how loud did you want that ringing to be, ahou?!" Kazuha declared, storming over to Heiji with an intense glare, one that paralleled Medusa's glare itself. Heiji stepped back slightly in surprise before he snapped back at her.

"Ahou! Loud enough to beat this guy!" He snapped back, jabbing his thumb behind him in Shinichi's direction, who rolled his eyes skyward.

"But really, Heiji. Don't you hold sticks in kendo? Why is it that your hand eye co-ordination is so bad?" Kazuha reprimanded in a defeated manner, crossing her arms in front of her.

"Ahou! I can hardly be blamed for that! That thing was slippery like a… a… slug!" he declared, stumbling to find the right description of the aforementioned rod.

"Right…."she replied cynically before walking back to Ran. She promptly face-palmed once she had reached Ran's side.

"I'm in love with a freaking idiot…." She mumbled and Ran chuckled slightly. Kazuha continued to push Ran's chair as the two boys were still deep in conversation, one of teasing and jeering and some mentions of blackmail about a video… Shinichi immediately turned a deep shade of crimson at the mention of blackmail. _I wonder what they're talking about…._ Ran pondered thoughtfully before striking a conversation with Kazuha.

"You still haven't told him of your feelings, have you?" Ran inquired. Kazuha turned away, a vain attempt to shield her blush, causing Ran to giggle at her friend's reaction.

"No… He is adamant on the idea that he never said what he said on Ebisu Bridge. But I know it! It's not just my imagination being desperate!" she said determinedly, eyes flashing conviction before her smile turned sly.

"So have you said anything? You know in reply to… I don't know? Another confession? One that took place in London?" Kazuha teased light-heartedly. Now it was Ran's turn to look away to shield her growing blush, her eyes bright as she remembered that time in the hospital. " _London? I never replied to you, did I?... What did you say? A heart of a girl whom one likes….And do you know what I think about it?"_

Ran smiled timidly at Kazuha. "Well… of a sort." She replied hastily. The other girl's eyes widened but before she could start demanding some questions, most likely a stream of them, a loud shout rung through the air.

"How could you, Ahoko?! Did you have to wear THAT today?!" someone yelled. Someone distinctly male and someone clearly terrified beyond belief. Ran swivelled around in her chair, curious to know what the commotion was about. She was surprised to see a young couple arguing, or exchanging banter, Ran did not know.

The young boy was about seventeen, in a loose fitting yukata for men, not unlike Hattori's and Shinichi's. Whereas Shinichi's was a dark blue (and Ran had to admit that it quite charming on him, though she would never say it out loud) and Hattori's a dark grey with thin white stripes, this boy's was a light grey, covered in fine black lines to resemble tatami mats. But that wasn't what shocked her.

The boy was near identical to Shinichi and beside his extreme case of bed hair and a slightly darker shade of cobalt, he could have easily fooled her of being Shinichi. _Or Kaito Kid…_ she thought, her eyes narrowing with suspicion as she recalled the time in an airship, a time of a contagious disease, a battle over a jewelled ring and a near kiss experience…

Next to him was a girl who looked strikingly similar to Ran herself, except with dishevelled hair, who wore a light turquoise yukata with the silhouettes of open fans printed on and a dark blue obi. In her hand, she held a mop. Where she kept that mop was a mystery in itself to Ran.

"Well, you promised you wouldn't flip my skirt today, Bakaito. But Aoko didn't trust you." She replied, pouting slightly.

"It should be a sin, doing things like that! I'm adding it to the seven deadly sins!" he proclaimed loudly, causing the girl next to him to frown.

"For what?"

"For dealing with fish in general! Catching fish, making sashimi, making fish printed underwear, manufacturing those beastly merchandise about fish! All of it!" he yelled, counting them off with his fingers. "So it would be lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, pride, and association with fish. The fish is the Devil." He replied blankly, provoking a look from the girl that said "Are you serious?" and "Are you an idiot?" at the same time.

Around about this time, Ran also caught the familiar voices of the girls from the temple, chattering blithely.

"Do you know what I really want at the moment?" the blue and white one said, almost to herself.

"Heck if I know… Actually, scrap that. You want a spearmint lemonade and a triple cheese lasagne from Starbucks, don't you?" the red clothed one joked, a playful twinkle in her eyes and a mischievous smirk.

"No… Just a cheese and mushroom pocket… from Starbucks…" she mumbled dejectedly.

"You know what I really want? Freaking air con! I mean, it's boiling in this thing." The pale yellow clothed one moaned while she was vehemently fanning her face, so vigorously that Ran was worried her wrist may snap. The girl quickly glanced around, as if looking out for something.

"Sorry, world… I'm going to be unlady-like…" she cried, suddenly pulling aside the yukata to show a good portion of her legs as she began to waddle in a similar fashion to a crab. Ran suppressed the sudden urge to laugh at the girl, whose face was that of absolute bliss. The red clothed one looked slightly mortified by this and briskly hit her on the head with her fan.

"You idiot! If you want to cool your legs, wait for the wind to blow the yukata apart. That way you have an excuse."

"I can't wait for the wind!" the shortest one wailed. She suddenly burst into a dance which involved a wide variety of arm movements, comparable to a windmill. The red clothed girl stared in dismay at the other girl.

"What are you doing?" she asked resignedly, her shoulders slumped down in defeat.

"Making my own wind." The short girl replied but it got her no response from the red clothed girl. The short girl clicked her tongue impatiently.

"I'm. Airing. My. Armpits. Out." She replied, pronouncing each word as if the taller girl were an idiot. The taller girl sweat-dropped and promptly face-palmed, burying her face in the voluminous sleeves.

"I'm living in a world of goldfish…" she uttered, muffled by her sleeves. Ran couldn't help it; she burst out into an uncontrollable laughter, earning her curious looks from her friends. Luckily, the girls didn't seem to notice.

"Don't be like that. Think of nice things, like how nice this ice cream is!" one in a pale pink yukata exclaimed, holding out an ice cream cone that had two flavours, as if it were the latest scientific discovery.

"You get ice cream at home…" the yellow clothed one muttered.

"Yes, but not of this kind! I can't believe how cheap it was!" she exclaimed. Suddenly she made a face that made her look like either a seriously hyper squirrel or a turtle that went wrong in the head.

"I love food!" she announced, marching off to some adults.

"Do you girls want some food?" One of the ladies in front asked, turning to face the other girls. The girls' faces lit up and they dashed towards the woman.

"Now you can open your yukata!" the girl in red shouted back to the girl in yellow as she tore towards a possible place to sit down.

Suddenly a scream ripped through the opening, piercing Ran's ears. _Shoot… that can only mean one thing…_ She thought despairingly. As if on cue, Shinichi's and Heiji's eyes widened and sudden filled with a burning clarity, as they always did when a case occurred.

"Finally! A reason to take off these blasted shoes!" Heiji yelled, tearing the shoes away and lobbing them behind him as he dashed off to follow Shinichi to the origin of the scream, like hounds on the scent of prey. Ran and Kazuha stared at them, too shocked to say or do anything. Ran's lips thinned into a tart grimace as she saw the two boys tear through the crowd.

"Kazuha chan? You know what I'm thinking right?" she asked, still looking at the boys.

"I believe I do." She answered in a very bored tone.

"We need to flood those boys in holy water and get some alcohol wipes."

"Umm… I was going along the lines getting more omamori, but holy water is good too. Chottematte! Why alcohol wipes?" Kazuha inquired, a look of surprise flittering across her face.

"So as to remove 99.9% of the murder-attracting bacteria…." Ran responded in a weary and jaded tone. Kazuha's face changed to one of understanding and she laughed.

"Kudo kun's humour has rubbed off on you…" she said, giggling. Ran couldn't help but smile at her friend and join in her laughter. And even though she was starving as they hadn't had lunch, or the fact she was stuck in a wheelchair until her leg recovered or even that she was waiting for Shinichi, yet again over a case, she knew she wouldn't want to have her life any other way; a life filled with uncertainty, danger, mystery, love and waiting. And a lot of waiting.

* * *

 **Okay. I promise this is the utmost end! This was written with my own experience when I went to Japan and I thought it would be rather funny if I merged experience with imagination together. Also, regarding Kaito's personality, I can imagine it's quite a bit like Will from Infernal Devices with the irrational fear of seemingly harmless animals.**


End file.
